Relationship dossier
Indonesia
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Relationship assessment
Strategic cooperation alongside continuing efforts to address the colonial past
Indonesia toward Kingdom of the Netherlands
+35Indonesia has participated in the bilateral strategic partnership with the Netherlands and pursued cooperation across areas including education, water management and maritime affairs. Indonesia has also sought the return of cultural objects taken during the colonial period.
Kingdom of the Netherlands toward Indonesia
+40The Netherlands has pursued a strategic partnership with Indonesia and cooperation in fields including water management and education. In 2020, King Willem-Alexander expressed regret for Dutch violence during Indonesia’s independence struggle; in 2022, the Dutch government recognized 17 August 1945 as Indonesia’s independence date and apologized for excessive violence. The Netherlands has also returned Indonesian cultural objects.
Overall relationship
+35A sustained bilateral partnership supports cooperation across several fields, while the colonial past remains a significant feature of the relationship. Dutch expressions of regret and apology, and returns of Indonesian cultural objects, have contributed to addressing that legacy.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Indonesia and the Netherlands maintain a substantial cooperative relationship, including a strategic partnership and collaboration across several fields. The relationship also continues to address the legacy of Dutch colonial rule and violence during Indonesia’s independence struggle. Dutch apologies and the return of Indonesian cultural objects have been significant steps in addressing that history.
Areas of tension
- The legacy of Dutch colonial rule and violence during Indonesia’s independence struggle.
- Claims and negotiations concerning the return of Indonesian cultural objects held in the Netherlands.
Key developments
Indonesia and the Netherlands established a strategic partnership, providing a framework for cooperation across several fields.
King Willem-Alexander expressed regret for Dutch violence during Indonesia’s independence struggle.
The Dutch government recognized 17 August 1945 as Indonesia’s independence date and apologized for excessive violence during the independence struggle.
The Netherlands returned hundreds of Indonesian cultural objects to Indonesia.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and implementation of cooperation under the strategic partnership are unclear.
- The scope of future returns of Indonesian cultural objects remains uncertain.